News & Events
Animal Behavior Majors: You might be interested...
- JOB POSITION: USGS-funded position for current or recent student for Invasive Species Ecology research in the Clay Lab
We are looking for a current student at IU or elsewhere (graduate or undergraduate), or someone within ONE YEAR of completing their degree for this USGS Student Services Contractor position for research in the Keith Clay lab on the invasive wetland plant, Phragmites, and its associated fungal communities. The announcement and instructions to apply are attached here. The pay is $16.83 - $18.83 per hour, depending on educational background. Please forward to potential interested students.
- FIELD SCHOOL: Marine science career development opportunity in South Africa - Seats filling!
Posted: 4/21/2018
Marine science career development opportunity in South Africa
Seats in the 2-week and 4-week Cape RADD marine field courses are quickly filling for the months of June, July and August. Though the course operates year round, these are the more popular months and space is limited! The course is structured around several SCUBA-based research projects that we run or collaborate with, using the projects as tools to teach practical and theoretical skills while allowing students to actively participate in the research. Some projects are general long term monitoring projects, while others aim to answer specific questions, such as the impact of grazer density on kelp abundance, or the patterns of interaction between individuals in fish shoals. We cater to students of various levels of experience and interest, so the course begins with scuba courses and refreshers to get everyone comfortable again in the water. Students are then introduced to the science component with some citizen science initiatives. Concepts are progressively built upon by introducing projects over the course of the next weeks that utilise more standardised research methods. Lectures and workshops are also provided that introduce concepts like biodiversity, and how these are measured and compared, with some hands on training in software like R, QGIS and Coral Point Count. We also run some boat based observation trips and teach an introductory freediving course.Check out our website http://www.caperadd.com or drop us an email info@caperadd.com for more information on what we offer.
- COURSE POSTING: I590 Animal-Computer Interaction: new Fall 2018 Seminar
Posted: 4/9/2018
Seminar in Animal-Computer Interaction
INFO 590-35981
Tuesday evenings, 5:45pm-8:15pm, Luddy Hall Room 1104
Christena Nippert-Eng, Professor of Informatics
...A readings and discussion seminar on this dynamic, emergent field.
- INTERNSHIP: positions at WonderLab for 2018-2019
Updated 5/14/2018
2018-2019 Academic year Internship – Monday, August 13, 2018- May 5
Objective: To give student hands-on experience in husbandry, education and the many aspects of WonderLab’s animal exhibits department including the creation, improvement, and maintenance of animal exhibits.
Type: Unpaid (unless eligible for federal work-study) or for class credit
Time Commitment: Two, weekly shifts totaling 7 hours plus research time
Responsibilities:
- Animal care and maintaining display habitats
- Monitoring habitats for ideal conditions
- Live animal demonstrations, education and outreach
- Upkeep and organization of animal resources and care logs
- Completion of 1-2 animal specific projects (Academic Year, Class Credit Interns only)
Preferred skills and qualifications for this position:
- Interest in biology/animals
- Reliable with a strong work ethic
- Self-motivated
- Excellent communication skills, especially written
- Attention to detail and accuracy
- Experience working with vertebrates and invertebrates a plus
- Weekend availability
- Enjoys researching and creating educational materials
If you are interested in the Animal Care Internship position please do the following:
1. Send an introductory email, resume and cover letter indicating which internship session
you are applying for to:
Sam Couch - animalexhibits@wonderlab.org
Animal Exhibits Manager
WonderLab Museum of Health and Technology
2. Fill out an application available on the WonderLab website at
http://wonderlab.org/about-wonderlab/college-student-internships/
- COURSE POSTING: Themester: Fall 2018 L214 Animal Communication
Posted: 3/03/2018
Fall 2018 / LING-L214 (Department of Linguistics)
Instructors: Ann Bunger and Sachiko Koyama
MWF 11:15 am-12:05 pm (3 credits)
ANIMAL COMMUNICATION
This course deals with the communication systems of non-human animals, addressing them both on their own terms and in comparison with the major communication system of human animals, Language. The primary focus will be on communication in bees, birds, mice, and primates, though we will also consider other creatures. From the various perspectives of biology, psychology, and linguistics, we will consider what animals might (be able to) communicate about and how they do it in the wild vs. in contact with humans. This course counts toward fulfillment of the CASE S&H Breadth of Inquiry requirement.
One Day/One Hoosier features Animal Behavior Major Julie Mathias
Animal Behavior Major and CISAB undegraduate member, Julie Mathias was recently featured in One Day/One Hoosier for her work with ICAN and its chapter here at IUB.
It was an animal behavior class that introduced her to Ashton Asbury, a fellow animal enthusiast from Pendleton, Indiana. After a visit from Sally Irvin, founder of the Indianapolis-based nonprofit ICAN, the two joined forces to start a chapter at IU and quickly became friends.
The duo serves as co-founders and co-presidents of the club, which started in October. ICAN works with incarcerated adults throughout Indiana to train and care for service dogs. The dogs rotate between the inmates and volunteers in the general public, to help the dogs learn to navigate different environments. After two years of training, the dogs are paired with a person with a physical or developmental disability.
Photo by IU Communications
Study discovers how fish evolved to discharge electricity so rapidly
Recent findings about the South American ghost knifefish by CISAB members Associate Professor Troy Smith, Lecturer Adam Smith, and colleagues could have implications for the genetic basis of epilepsy and certain inherited muscle diseases.
Photo by Emily Harmon
IU student studies decision-making process used for choosing canine companions
CISAB graduate student Sam Cohen researches human-decision making used when people choose canine companions at Bloomington Animal Care and Control. Cohen is no stranger to the curious logic of people's decision-making. She is a researcher in professor Peter Todd's Adaptive Behavior and Cognition Lab in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, where she and her colleagues study all kinds of decision-making strategies: How do people decide which foods to eat? How do people select collaborative partners? How do people choose romantic partners? By comparing the strategies that people use across different contexts, the lab can study hypotheses about how these strategies have evolved.Given Cohen's background in social decision-making, it's not surprising that she began to notice patterns in the decisions adopters were making at the shelter.
Picture by Cadence Baugh
CISAB members in the news
Congratulations to our 2017-18 CISAB Scholars:
- Mikus Abolins-Abols
- Amrita Bhattacharya
- Abby Kimmitt
- Misty Proffitt
Congratulations to our 2017 undergraduate summer scholarship winners:
- Miriah Liebering
- Katherine Tafoya
- Megan Wolf
Mark your calendars for the 2018 Animal Behavior Conference
Save the Date: the 2019 Animal Behavior Conference is scheduled for March 29-30.
The College of Arts